In this co-host-only episode, Andrea Lane — the Fearless Real Estate Investor — breaks down why understanding your location is the single most critical step before analyzing any real estate deal.

Key Takeaways

Final Words of Wisdom "Make sure you understand the location before you buy, and cheap doesn't make it good."

Resources Visit ownyourincome.co to download the free guide on the seven systems required for a profitable and systematized real estate investment portfolio.

Andrea Mullen shares her real estate journey across nearly 20 years, from social worker to pharmaceutical sales rep to real estate investor.

Guest Background

Real Estate Portfolio

Key Themes Discussed

Future Plans (Next 6–12 Months)

Key Takeaway "Don't get stuck on one specific area — open up your horizon to other states."

Resource Mentioned

Andrea and Alissa tackle a topic most real estate investors oversimplify: the difference between maintenance budgets and reserve funds — and why treating them as one bucket can cost you dearly. 

In this episode, Andrea and Alissa break down a topic that's near and dear to every real estate investor's heart: the difference between asset management and property management and why understanding both is critical to protecting your investment. 

In this episode of Built For This, Alissa Bickar, The Consultress, sits down with Anthony Forque of A&A Debris Removal to explore how growing up around real estate, working in demolition, and running a service business have shaped his path as a real estate investor.

Anthony’s real estate journey started early. By eighth grade, he was already helping his parents with their first flip doing floors, demolishing cabinets, and learning firsthand what it takes to transform a property.

Today, his experience in junk removal and demolition has become more than just a business. It has given him an unfair advantage as an investor: the ability to walk into properties and recognize problems, renovation needs, and potential issues that other investors may overlook.

From century-old buildings and hidden structural problems to a major addition project that required lifting a house and digging out its foundation by hand, Anthony shares what he has learned from being on the front lines of real estate renovations.

The conversation also explores his long-term goal of moving beyond single-family flips and building a portfolio of larger multifamily properties while still staying active in the field.

How Anthony got introduced to real estate at a young age

What working alongside his parents taught him about flipping houses

Why entrepreneurship and independence attracted him to real estate

How demolition and debris removal became his real estate “unfair advantage”

The hidden problems investors can discover during renovations

Why understanding renovation costs can make or break a deal

Anthony's experience with a challenging add-a-level project

Lifting a house and digging out a complex foundation by hand

Why having the right team can make difficult deals possible

Anthony's vision for investing in 10–12+ unit apartment buildings

The difference between being active and being “passive” in real estate

Building real estate income alongside an active business

Why Anthony doesn't see himself ever completely stepping away from the field

How investors can connect with A&A Debris Removal

Your existing experience can become your biggest advantage in real estate.

Anthony didn't enter investing with only a desire to own properties. He brought years of hands-on experience from demolition and debris removal. That experience allows him to see behind the walls, recognize potential problems, understand what needs to be removed or repaired, and approach renovation projects with a perspective many investors don't have.

The bigger lesson? Don't overlook the skills and experience you already possess. Your current business, career, or life experience may be the exact advantage that helps you build your real estate portfolio.

Anthony Forque is the owner of A&A Debris Removal and a real estate investor. His hands-on experience in demolition, junk removal, and property renovations has given him a unique perspective on real estate investing.

A&A Debris Removal serves customers throughout parts of New Jersey, Philadelphia, and eastern Pennsylvania, with the ability to travel farther for larger projects.

Connect with Anthony and A&A Debris Removal through:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

YouTube

Built For This brings you real conversations with people who are actually doing the work building businesses, investing in real estate, creating wealth, and designing lives around who they are and what they know.

Hosted by Alissa Bickar, The Consultress, and Andrea Lane of Own Your Income, the show highlights real people, real deals, real challenges, and the lessons that come from building something of your own.

Whether you're a seasoned investor, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply wondering whether you're “built for” entrepreneurship and real estate, this show brings you stories and insights from the front lines.

Subscribe to Built For This for more conversations with entrepreneurs and real estate investors who are building businesses, portfolios, and lives on their own terms.

#BuiltForThis #AlissaBickar #AndreaLane #AnthonyForku #TheConsultress #RealEstateInvesting #RealEstateInvestor #RealEstateEntrepreneur #HouseFlipping #FixAndFlip #MultifamilyInvesting #RealEstateEntrepreneurship #PropertyInvesting #RealEstateBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PassiveIncome #CashFlow #WealthBuilding #NewJerseyRealEstate #PhiladelphiaRealEstate #AAndADebrisRemoval

In this episode of Built For This, host Alissa Bickar sits down with long-time real estate investor and mortgage expert Philip Ganz. What began as a necessity-driven purchase at age 21 turned into a decades-long real estate journey spanning multiple markets along the East Coast.

Philip shares how he became an “accidental investor,” the lessons he learned from buying, holding, renovating, and managing properties, and why he believes real estate remains one of the most reliable wealth-building vehicles available. He also discusses the importance of systems, technology, teamwork, and adaptability in today's entrepreneurial landscape.

Whether you're a new investor, an experienced property owner, or an entrepreneur looking to build long-term wealth, this conversation offers practical insights and encouragement to take action.

Philip purchased his first property at age 21 as a place to live, unintentionally beginning his real estate investing journey.

Converting former residences into rental properties can be a powerful entry point into real estate investing.

Real estate rewards patience; property values tend to appreciate over time despite short-term market fluctuations.

Successful investors focus on long-term outcomes rather than temporary setbacks.

Building a strong team is critical for sustainable growth and success.

Systems and education can dramatically reduce costly mistakes.

Technology has made entrepreneurship and real estate investing more accessible than ever before.

Today's investors have access to tools and resources that did not exist even a decade ago.

Delegation and leveraging technology can help entrepreneurs reclaim time and increase efficiency.

The best time to start pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities is now.

“Everything looks like a good deal over time.”

“The teamwork always outperforms individuals, so you've got to find good teammates.”

“You're going to pay for education either way. It's better to get that education from a system.”

“It's easier to win today than at any point in history.”

“The best day is actually today.”

Accidental beginnings in real estate investing

House hacking and converting primary residences into rentals

Property appreciation and long-term investing

Renovation and value-add strategies

Entrepreneurship and opportunity mindset

Building effective teams

Leveraging systems and technology

Delegation and productivity

Mortgage industry insights

Creating wealth through real estate

Philip Ganz is a seasoned real estate investor and mortgage professional with decades of experience acquiring, renovating, financing, and managing residential properties. Based in Florida, he has owned properties across multiple East Coast markets and helps clients navigate the mortgage process through his company, Next Wave Mortgage.

Website: www.nextwavemortgage.com

Instagram: @askthemortgageexpert

LinkedIn: Philip Ganz / Ask The Mortgage Expert

Real estate investing doesn't always begin with a grand plan. Sometimes it starts with buying the only property you can afford. As Philip's journey demonstrates, consistency, patience, continuous learning, and the willingness to take action can transform a single purchase into a long-term wealth-building strategy.

In this episode, Andrea Lane and Alissa Bickar sit down with real estate wholesaler Luis Guerrero to discuss how a difficult experience in corporate America became the catalyst for his entrepreneurial journey.

After being wrongfully terminated from a corporate job, Luis decided he no longer wanted someone else controlling his income or future. That decision led him into the world of real estate wholesaling, where he built a thriving business across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Luis shares how his background in sales and communications became his biggest competitive advantage, why building trust is the foundation of successful wholesaling, and how he has generated substantial profits by identifying opportunities and connecting motivated sellers with buyers.

The conversation also explores the differences between wholesaling and long-term rental investing, the importance of owning your income, and Luis's exciting transition into property ownership with the purchase of his first multifamily property.

Whether you're considering real estate investing, entrepreneurship, or looking for inspiration to take control of your financial future, this episode is packed with practical insights and motivation.

How wrongful termination sparked Luis's entrepreneurial journey

Transitioning from corporate employment to real estate investing

Why controlling your own income matters

The fundamentals of real estate wholesaling

Building trust with motivated sellers

Using communication skills as a competitive advantage

The role of sales in real estate success

Scaling a wholesaling business

Generating six- and seven-figure opportunities through wholesaling

The difference between wholesaling and rental property investing

Building long-term wealth through real estate

Luis's first multifamily property purchase

"I didn't want somebody else to have control over my income."

"Give me 20 minutes on the phone with a motivated seller and I'll be at their house the next day signing a contract."

"Wholesaling isn't just a hobby. If you scale it correctly, it can be a six- to seven-figure business."

"There are deals happening every single day."

Luis Guerrero is a real estate wholesaler operating in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Leveraging his background in sales and communications, he has built a successful wholesaling business focused on solving problems for motivated sellers while creating opportunities for investors.

Luis is also expanding into buy-and-hold investing and recently acquired his first multifamily property.

Connect with Luis:

Adversity can become the foundation for future success.

Communication and relationship-building are critical skills in real estate.

Wholesaling can be a highly profitable business model when executed properly.

Financial freedom begins when you take ownership of your income.

Real estate offers multiple paths to wealth, including wholesaling and rental investing.

Building long-term assets creates opportunities for passive income and wealth generation.

Built For This highlights real people building wealth through real estate. Each episode features investors, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals sharing their experiences, lessons learned, and the skills that helped them succeed.

Interested in being a guest?

Visit: BuiltForThisShow.com

🎤 Built For This Show

📌 Episode Highlights

He and his friends pooled their money, putting down just $5,000 each (a $25,000 total investment) to buy their first trailer rental.

The "Stupid" Mistakes Early On: Not knowing that lockboxes existed, Mark spent his early days making brutal 5-hour round trips from Brooklyn to the Poconos just to let renters in and out!

📊 The Power of the Spreadsheet

Bringing nearly two decades of engineering and design experience into his investment strategy, he views spreadsheets as his ultimate "superpower."

As a lender, his core mission is simple: “Make sure your deal doesn't suck.” Mark helps active investors pull apart their numbers to ensure their fix-and-flips or rental acquisitions are actually profitable before funding them.

🏢 The Challenge of Scaling: Overcoming the "Entrepreneurial Seizure"

Hiring Philosophy: Mark shares a vital piece of advice he learned from the CEO of one of the largest lending institutions in the country: “Skills you can teach. Evaluate if you want to spend an inordinate amount of time with them.”

🏡 Management is Everything

They eventually expanded to managing hundreds of doors for large-scale investors, learning how to scale systems under extreme workload.

Mark’s biggest takeaway: “The biggest decision on owning real estate and where you're going to own it is the management. If you don't have management, we're not having a conversation about owning real estate.”

🚀 Future Plans & Initiatives

Always Capital Broker Program: Expanding their outreach to pay people for business referrals.

Capital Investing Done Safely: A dedicated group educating the market on active vs. passive investing (such as private lending, syndications, and note buying).

The Ultimate Goal: Working on the business to ultimately figure out how to transition out of daily operations.

🔗 Connect With Our Guest & Hosts

Own Your Income 8-Week Intensive: Ready to get advice from someone who has walked the road and built scalable processes? Reach out to Alissa and Andrea at [email protected] or drop a comment on your streaming platform.

Reggie Reavis is a real estate investor with 10 years of experience who owns 3 single-family properties in North Carolina and Virginia. He previously did wholesaling but transitioned to focus on the stability of rental properties as market conditions changed.

Why Reggie Got Into Real Estate:

Initially entered for the money and retirement security

Stayed because of the people and the excitement of finding opportunities

Enjoys the problem-solving aspect and the flexibility real estate provides

Professional Background & Skills:

Real Estate Philosophy:

Believes real estate is about mindset and approaching deals with a win-win attitude

Emphasizes the importance of networking, crediting Andrea for helping him secure his most profitable property through connections

Advocates for using property managers rather than self-managing, calling it "worth the percentage" for the time saved and professional expertise.

Property Management Approach:

Future Plans:

Advice for Investors: